Forensics speech and debate is a competitive speech team that competes in a multitude of events. Events are either reading pieces, saying a story or speech from memory or coming up with a speech in a couple of minutes. Students choose between speech and/or drama events that they then prepare for and compete at schools around the area. A tournament consists of three rounds in which you go and perform in front of one or multiple judges. Depending on how you did in the previous rounds, you can then break for the final round which only includes the top competitors. From the final round, depending on what place you get you can qualify for state. Qualifying depends on how big the tournament is. 

With one week left in the season there are still opportunities to qualify for state. So far, there are fifteen people who have qualified in eleven events,  with many qualifying in two or more. The qualifiers are:  

Cynthia Perez (’28) in oral interpretation of poetry and impromptu speaking. 

Cameron Torres (’27) in impromptu speaking, oral Interpretation of prose, oral interpretation of poetry and dramatic interpretation. 

Jose Pinedo De La Torre (’26) in impromptu speaking, international extemporaneous speaking and oral interpretation of prose.

Jasper Carter (’26) in oral interpretation of prose, humorous interpretation, dramatic interpretation and impromptu speaking. 

Kailey Barnett (’28) and Thea Hoekstra in duo interpretation.

Ceci Pfertsh (’26) in impromptu speaking, program of oral interpretation, oral interpretation of prose, domestic extemporaneous speaking and humorous interpretation. 

Lena Leuthiphonh (’26) in domestic extemporaneous speaking and oral interpretation of poetry. 

Kyla Korgal (’28) in dramatic interpretation and oral interpretation of poetry. 

Joshua Lee Perez (’26) in domestic extemporaneous speaking. 

Angela Ayala Duran (’29) in original oration.

Madalynn Becker (’27) in oral interpretation of poetry and informative speaking.

Taiya Byrd (’29) in informative speaking and oral interpretation of poetry.

December Jarvis( ’27) in humorous interpretation.

Thea Hoekstra (’28) in informative speaking. 

Soledad Jimenez (’28) in international extemporaneous speaking.

Along with state qualifiers there are three national qualifiers:

Jose Pinedo De La Torre in senate congressional debate. 

Cici Pfertsh in house of representatives congressional debate. 

Lena Leuthiphonh in house of representatives congressional debate.